I believe that Steampunk is more than just brass and watchparts. It's finding a way to combine the past and the future in an aesthetic pleasing yet still punkish way. It's living a life that looks old-fashioned, yet speaks to the future. It's taking the detritus of our modern technological society and remaking it into useful things. Join me as I search for items for my house that combine the scientific romanticism of the Victorians with our real present and imagined future.

Friday, January 30, 2009

Lockwood Estate

The Lockwood Estate is an 1865 Carpenter Gothic/Stick Victorian House in Malvern, Pennsylvania. John Werry of Rare Victorian had a chance to take photos of it recently.

It's actually for sale -- just $2 1/4 million.

(note: I'm not sure the slideshow will come through on rss readers -- if not, click through to see the pictures.)

8 comments:

Oh man! I used to work about 1/4 mile away from this house and had to drive by it every day. It's just as gorgeous in person. I live in Florida now, but I would totally move back to freezing cold PA if I could have that house. :-)

(I'm the guy who took the photos) I'm planning to write a lengthy post about the house and it's history along with posting the video of my house tour. Some of the coolest parts of the house are the stuff you don't see - the basements which I captured on video. Wild stuff. Check back at my Rare Victorian blog in the coming weeks for the post/video.

BTW, I recommend the full-screen slideshow to see it in all it's glory. Click on the 4 arrows in the lower right of the embed on Sara's post.

Much too big for me and a bit more ornate than my tastes run, so I can't really say "want", but... Yah. Very pretty.

Pity it has a scenic view of the Home Depot.

Note that ceiling roses/medallions are not particularly hard to install. You can get simple ones off-the-shelf in either plaster (traditional but heavy), tin (also traditional), or plastic (lighter, easier to install, and once painted nobody can tell the difference). One example that approaches what we're seeing in the Lockwood photos: http://www.wishihadthat.com/medallion-b2021.aspx

Seeing pictures of the Lockwood Estate on this site really took me by surprise because of how close to my own home this is for me. I have passed by this house countless times since I was a kid and it has been one of my favorites since I first saw it. In fact, my interest in steampunk grew out of a fascination for the houses and styles of the victorian era.